School of Government Welcomes New Students

This fall, the UNC MPA program welcomes 71 new students to the program. 31 are enrolled in the full-time on campus format and 40 are enrolled in the online format—which launched back in 2013 to accommodate working professionals across the country. Currently, the School of Government has 247 students enrolled across both formats of the MPA program.
Director of Admissions Cara Robinson says, “We are continuously thrilled with the level our new students are at. The public service mindset is palpable, and their contributions are already marked with leadership and commitment.”
UNC MPA enrolls students at all different points in their careers–from the 21-year-old recent graduate just starting their career to the 67-year-old retiree looking to reimagine their career in public service leadership/nonprofit work and give back to their communities. Several of our students are currently employed across the public sector and looking to gain leadership expertise and new skills. With interests in local, state, and federal government work to nonprofit organizations and even the private sector, students in the MPA program come packed with a variety of interest areas and goals. Approximately 65% of our new students come from different parts of North Carolina while the other 35% come from different parts of the country–as far west as Washington State and as far east as Washington, D.C. 19% of our new students are military affiliated.
We have interviewed four of our new students to find out more about them and why they’re pursuing the MPA degree. From environmental protection of sea turtles to public health collaborations between the private and public sectors, read more about our new students and where they’re going with UNC MPA.